Illinois Department of Transportation

Department of Transportation

Department overview
Formed	1972
Preceding department	Illinois Department of Public Works and Buildings
Jurisdiction	Illinois
Headquarters	2300 S. Dirksen Parkway, Springfield, Illinois
Department executive	Randall Blankenhorn[1], Secretary
Website	www.idot.illinois.gov

The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) is the code department^[2][3] of the Illinois state government that is responsible for sustaining, strengthening, expanding, and maintaining a multi-modal transportation system that includes roads, railways, airways, waterways, canals, and terminals such as airports, railway stations, bus stations, warehouses, and intermodal facilities.

The Secretary of Transportation reports to the Illinois Governor. IDOT is headquartered in unincorporated Sangamon County, in the state capital, Springfield. In addition, IDOT has nine transportation district offices located throughout five regions throughout the state, as well as an office in Chicago. ^[4][5]

Organization

IDOT consists of four divisions and nine supporting offices. The following organization list represents the basic structure of the department’s senior management:

Divisions

• The Division of Aeronautics (AERO) regulates and supervises all aeronautical activity within the state. The division provides safe, efficient and reliable air transportation for Constitutional Officers and employees of the division, department and agencies of state government. AERO is responsible for coordinating and implementing programs concerning air safety, airport construction and other aeronautical related areas in Illinois. The primary role of the division is to provide modal integrity to air transportation missions, objectives and activities within IDOT.
• The Division of Highways (DOH) plan, design, construct, operate and maintain a safe highway system with a diverse and professional workforce, within available resources, and to the highest nationwide standards for all citizens of Illinois. DOH comprises eight central bureaus located in Springfield and nine district offices located throughout the state. The division is responsible for developing, maintaining and operating the state highway system in a timely, efficient and economical manner. The central bureaus are responsible for developing policies, procedures, standards and guidelines to accomplish the department’s highway system improvement objectives. The central bureaus monitor district programs to ensure statewide uniformity of policy interpretation and compliance and to ensure program coordination with federal, state and local agencies.
• The Division of Public and Intermodal Transportation (DPIT) promotes safe, efficient, affordable, reliable and coordinated transportation of people and goods through rail, mass transit and related modes of transportation. DPIT is responsible for promoting mass transportation systems and services in the state of Illinois by developing and recommending policies and programs; developing, implementing and administering operating, capital and technical program projects; and participating in local and statewide planning and programming activities. The division conducts technical studies and engineering reviews of projects.
• The Division of Transportation Safety (DTS) formulates, coordinates and delivers information, services and programs which will mobilize public and private resources to establish effective public policy and integrated programs to improve transportation safety in Illinois. DTS is responsible for providing Illinois travelers, such as motorists, cyclists, and pedestrians with the safest possible environment by concentrating available resources in the most cost-effective manner so as to reduce transportation fatalities, injuries, and accidents. The division is responsible for the development and promulgation of regulations in areas of accident reporting, hazardous materials, transportation, vehicle inspection, safety responsibility, cycle rider training and motor carrier safety.

Offices

• The Office of Business and Workforce Diversity (OBWD) ensures that minority-owned, woman-owned and other disadvantaged small businesses have an equal opportunity to participate in IDOT’s federal and state-funded highway, rail, transit, and airport contracts. This office also promotes equal employment opportunities to achieve greater workforce diversity of minority groups, women and disadvantaged persons in all phases of the highway, rail, transit, and airport construction industry. OBWD is responsible for overseeing the implementation of directives, policies and strategies for departmental business diversity efforts designed to support efficient operations and ultimately aimed toward achieving departmental goals and objectives. The office directs the periodic reviews of departmental efforts for compliance with tenets of quality and underlying laws, regulations and policies governing these projects and programs resulting in policy changes. The office promotes a climate of compliance with prevailing civil rights laws and minimizes departmental exposure to forfeiture of federal funds, litigation or administrative intervention.
• The Office of Chief Counsel (OCC) provides legal counsel to the department on both policy issues and proposed actions affecting any of its operating divisions or staff offices; to provide for the prosecution and defense of all litigation involving the department in cooperation with the Office of the Governor, the Attorney General, and outside counsel; to provide for the administration of tort liability claims, property damage claims and uncollectible receivables as well as processing lien and bond claims against contractors; and to provide coordination and administration of the purchase and service of all insurance policies for IDOT’s self-insurance program.
• The Office of Finance and Administration (OFA) provides timely, high quality services to the divisions and offices of IDOT in support of their efforts to achieve the department’s overall mission while ensuring compliance with state law and departmental policies. OFA is responsible for developing and administering IDOT’s budget; managing the departmental personnel systems; providing accounting and auditing functions to ensure sound fiscal management; providing centralized business services functions and IDOT facilities management; and providing management information capabilities required satisfying management and engineering needs.
• The Office of Communications (OC) provides legislators and the traveling public with accurate real-time information on transportation projects that affect the areas in which they live and do business. OC is responsible for developing and recommending programs to meet the media relations needs of IDOT. The primary objectives are to assist in the coverage of agency activities; increase the agency’s sensitivity to its stakeholders; interpret public opinion so that agency programs and regulations will be realistic and acceptable; and mobilize support for the agency and its programs.
• The Office of Planning and Programming (OPP) in cooperation with federal, state, regional and local agencies and other public stakeholders, the OPP develops and maintains passenger/freight, a continuing, comprehensive, and multi-modal (highway, public transportation, rail and airport) planning and programming process to foster safe, efficient and economical transportation services. OPP is responsible for developing programs aimed at improving the state’s transportation system. This includes developing federal legislative programs and strategies to ensure that state legislation supports and enhances transportation issues. The office works with metropolitan planning organizations in 16 of the state’s urbanized areas to develop programs relating to urban transportation. The office also coordinates a surveillance program to monitor the physical condition of the state’s transportation system, the level of service provided and the need for improvement, and it evaluates proposals for major investments in the state’s transportation system including the overall benefits to be gained for public stakeholders. This office is responsible for ensuring the continuation of state rail services where the potential for efficiency and economy are most favorable and minimizing the expenditure of public funds for rail subsidies. Additionally, the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP) serves as a forum for transportation decision-making by local elected officials in northeastern Illinois. The office is also responsible for monitoring, analyzing and influencing federal transportation proposals to favorably augment Illinois’ transportation system.
• The Office of Quality Compliance and Review (OQCR) independently tests and provides assurance to the Secretary of Transportation as to the level of fiscal integrity and construction contract compliance, and to ensure professional, confidential, and cooperative investigations with law enforcement agencies. OQCR is designated as the Secretary’s advocate for compliance review activities. As such, it directs the monitoring of department projects and programs for compliance with quality product commitment. In this capacity, the office directs the periodic reviews of departmental projects and programs for compliance with tenants of quality and underlying laws, regulations and policies governing these projects and programs. As a result of these reviews, policy changes may be implemented.
• Office of Innovative Project Delivery (OIPD) advances major high-profile transportation infrastructure projects that are some of IDOT’s most complex and expensive, many of which have statewide significance. OIPD will formulate and manage IDOT’s strategy and policy for engaging private and public sector entities in novel partnership, delivery, and financing arrangements for projects that may not otherwise be constructed or delivered as efficiently. OIPD will lead IDOT's work with public-private partnerships, management of mega projects, and efforts with innovative project delivery methods such as design-build and construction manager/general contractor.
• Office of Internal Audit (OIA) is responsible for testing, reviewing, and conducting analyses of IDOT operations and its internal controls through an effective Internal Audit function. The office’s mission is to provide independent internal audit services to the agency as required by the Fiscal Control and Internal Auditing Act. The office directs and implements a comprehensive agency-wide internal audit program; develops program policies, goals and objectives; develops the agency’s Annual Audit Plan; and monitors implementation of audit recommendations and findings.
• Office of Legislative Affairs (OLA) guarantees that IDOT policies, actions and goals are consistently communicated, supported and enhanced through interaction with legislative contacts, state and local officials, and private organizations to guarantee that Illinois constituents’ needs are serviced well. OLA is responsible for developing departmental policy goals and positions; developing state legislative programs and strategies; resolving issues of special interest to the Secretary; and representing the Secretary before various state and national organizations. The objective is to ensure that departmental policy and actions as well as state legislation consistently support and enhance Illinois’ transportation interests.

IDOT districts map

• Regions and Districts
  • IDOT Region 1
    • District 1 - Schaumburg, Illinois (covers Chicago Metropolitan Area)
  • IDOT Region 2
    • District 2 - Dixon, Illinois
    • District 3 - Ottawa, Illinois
  • IDOT Region 3
    • District 4 - Peoria, Illinois
    • District 5 - Paris, Illinois
  • IDOT Region 4
    • District 6 - Springfield, Illinois
    • District 7 - Effingham, Illinois
  • IDOT Region 5
    • District 8 - Collinsville, Illinois (covers St. Louis Metropolitan Area)
    • District 9 - Carbondale, Illinois

History

IDOT was created by the 77th Illinois General Assembly on January 1972. The department absorbed the functions of the former Department of Public Works and Buildings, acquired some planning and safety inspection functions of other state agencies, and received responsibility for state assistance to local mass transportation agencies such as the Chicago-area Regional Transportation Authority, which was in the process of being formed at this time.

Governor Pat Quinn appointed Ann Schneider as the Secretary of Transportation in 2011, marking the appointment of the first women in Illinois history as chief of transportation. In January 2010, Illinois was awarded a $1.2 billion federal grant to build a statewide high-speed passenger rail service.

In the spring of 2014, it was reported that IDOT had engaged in patronage hiring of numerous staff assistants - Ann Schneider resigning following this scandal.^[6] Schneider claimed that the improper hires were "recommended to me or my staff by the governor’s office," specifically Chief of Staff Jack Lavin.^[7][8]

References

1. About IDOT accessed 07 October 2015
2. Uphoff, Judy Lee (2012). "The Governor and the Executive Branch". In Lind, Nancy S.; Rankin, Erik. Governing Illinois: Your Connection to State and Local Government (PDF) (4th ed.). Center Publications, Center for State Policy and Leadership, University of Illinois at Springfield. pp. 78–79. ISBN 978-0-938943-28-0.
3. 20 ILCS 5/5-15
4. "IDOT Directory". Retrieved 2008-09-23.
5. "Ward Map." City of Springfield. Retrieved on March 24, 2009.
6. "IDOT chief resigns after patronage questions raised". Early & Often.
7. Chicago Tribune (29 October 2014). "Quinn's IDOT scandal will cost taxpayers". chicagotribune.com.
8. "Ex-IDOT boss blames gov's office for majority of improper hires". Early & Often.

External links

• IDOT Website
• IDOT on Facebook
• IDOT on Twitter
• IDOT on LinkedIn
• IDOT on YouTube